Distribution system



1935- J. BROWN 1,986,182

DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM Filed Aug. 27, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M549 0 O 0 4 O @1 O O 1 O L B o o o 0 0 o Q7 0 O\ 9/O 0 o e .0 o 0 0 O O- 9/O o o e o o o o O-OO'OOOO INVENTQR JOHN BROWN Jan. 1, 1935. J. BROWN 1,986,182

DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM Filed Aug. 27, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E 802 ac'z j? 81 mvem'ok JOHN BROWN Patented Jan. I, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT orricr.

DISTRIBUTION SYSTEIVI John Brown, Somerton, England, assignor to Radio Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Application August 27, 1929, Serial No. 388,807 In Great-Britain September 5, 1928 2 Claims. (Cl. 25033) This invention relates to a distribution sysinto which extend leads generally designated 2 tem and especially to feeder distribution boxes; (Figure 8) each from one of a plurality of reand it is particularly applicable for use in con ceivers. Feeders 3 each from a dififerent one meeting receivers to aerials with which are asof a plurality of aerials are arranged behind the scciated feeder systems, e. g. to aerials such as distribution box at right angles to the receiver 5 are described in the specification of British P'atleads and are enclosed in shields 4 secured to entNo. 284,004. the back of the distribution box. The feeders Any system of aerials, to have complete flex- 3 are tubular and are carried within shields i ibility, must have its various elements connected by insulators 31 which make contact with the to a centralpoint from which position connecshields 4 over only a small area so that the di- 10 tions can be made to any or all points of reelectric spacing between a feeder tube 3 and its ception. appropriate screen 4 is largely air. lhe receiver It is alsonecessar'y, where the aerial systems leads are also located within tubes, such as 5 in use are some distance from the receiving (Figure 8), let into apertures in the side E3 of the building and feeders or transmission lines" are distribution box and are provided each with a 15 therefore employed to convey the received energy telescopic inner tube 7 adapted to slide a fixed collected on the aerials, that noreflection or sleeve $7 the extreme end of each telescopic tube standing waves should take place along these being supported by an insulator TI which is not lines or feeders. The connections between the secured to the box but is free to slide along the feeders from the aerials and the feeders to the appropriate partition. Each telescopic tube is 20 receivers should therefore be such that the norprovided with a connector 8 (Figure 19) adapted mal surge impedance is the same throughout to make contact with any desired aerial feeder the system. When these connections are made tube 3 the back of the distributor box being proinside a building where interference may be vided with apertures 9 (Figure '7) to permit the picked up from other electrical apparatus, perconnector to pass through. Screening covers 25 feet screening must be provided. Screening be- S09 (Figure 1) are provided for covering those tween adjacent feeders from different aerials is apertures 9 which are not being used. As will also necessary to ensure reception solely from be seen the connectors 8 are formed with eyethe diagram selected. let 8I for making connection to the appropriate One of the main objects of the invention is to receiver tube and with a spring clamp 86L (Fig- 30 provide means whereby the aerial and receiver ures 11 and 12) for making connection with an systems are completely screened from each other appropriate aerial tube. The sleeved portion S7 and can be interconnected in any way which of areceiver connectorZ is held-within the screenmay be desired. The invention is also applicable ing tube 5 by means of insulators, such as 21 for connecting receivers to the line wires of a similar to the insulators 31. The front of the 35 system in which carrier current signalling is emdistributor box is provided with hinged lids the ployed. construction of which is illustrated in Figures 4 In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a to 6 whereby each compartment can be closed front View of a change over box with the leads and screened. A lid is indicated at L in Figure removed, Figure 2 is an end View, Figure 3 is a the hinged bead being shown at HB and the 00- 40 plan, Figures 4, 5 and 6 are front, plan and end operating lid bead being shown at LB. The lid views respectively of one of the lids embodied is adapted to be fastened by a hook H engaging in the change over box shown in Figures 1 to 3. with a member such as M sweated to the box. Figure '7 is a projection showing schematically Where it is desired to connect one receiver to 5 a portion of a change over box of the kind shown more than one aerial two connectors such as 8 in Figures 1 to 3. Figures 8, 9 and 10 show in may be used between the telescopic tube, such elevation, plan, and end View, an internal aras '7 and the respective aerial feeders i. e. in such rangement for one set of the various conductors a case an insulator 71 would be slid along the and insulators embodied in the change over box appropriate partition and a number of connectors illustrated generally in Figures 1 to 3. Figures 11 8 connected to the extended telescopic tube '7 50 and 12 show one of the connectors. each connector passing through a hole 9 to one of Referring to the drawings, the distribution or the aerial tubes. change over box comprises a plurality of par- It will be seen that in this distributor box, all

titions 1 each parallel to one another, the spaces the receiver leads can, if desired, be connected to 5 between the partitions forming compartments a single aerial system, or each receiver lead can, 5

if desired, be connected to a separate aerial system.

When it is desired to connect one receiver to more than one aerial (or to both halves of a split aerial), two connectors may be used between the telescopic tube and the respective aerial feeders.

Preferably means are provided whereby any section of an aerial feeder not connected to a receiver feeder, i. e. a dead end, may be disconnected. These means may take various forms; for example, the back of the distribution box may be provided with hinged doors, the feeder lengths within the box being divided into sections and the arrangement being such that the dead end may be disconnected by sliding a conductive sleeve which normally connects the said dead end to the incoming feeder. As a modification, the aerial feeders may be formed telescopically as are the receiver leads in the arrangement illustrated; in this modification the back of the distribution box would resemble the front except that corresponding parts would lie at right angles to one another.

The distributor box lends itself (where many beam aerial systems directional in various directions are in use) to a measure of diagram rotation, by choosing suitable aerials. This latter is very useful when, owing to transitory etheric conditions, the direction of reception is apparently unstable.

The box also ensures that no coupling shall exist within the box between any aerials or between receiver leads by way of the aerial feeder connections when this condition of total independence is desired.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a plurality of leads adapted to be connected to aerials, a plurality of other leads adapted to be connected to high frequency apparatus, and a distribution box suitable for use in interconnecting any one of said aerial leads with any one of the high frequency apparatus leads comprising a plurality of screening compartments adapted to retain one set of the leads to be connected, a hinged lid on the outside of each of said compartments for providing access to said leads therein, and shielding compartments for retaining the other set of leads outside said screening compartments and at an angular relationship with respect to the leads in said screening compartments, and metallic connecting links adapted to pass through apertures in the screening compartments, said links having terminals arranged to contact with said leads for electrically coupling together any desired leads in one set with desired leads in the other.

2. A high frequency distribution box for connecting leads to receiving antennae and leads to receiving apparatus comprising a plurality of screening compartments arranged in box-like form, said compartments adapted to retain the leads to said receiving apparatus, means comprising shielded passages running substantially at right angles to the length of the compartments attached to said compartments for containing the leads to said antennae, connecting links adapted to pass through apertures in the compartments and coupling together certain of said first mentioned leads to certain of the second mentioned leads for enabling said leads to the receiving apparatus to be connected to any of said leads to the antennae through said apertures in said compartments, and said compartment leads comprising adjustable means having telescopic tubes for variation in the length thereof.

JOHN BROWN. 

